The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Forty Nine reasons all in a line
All of them good ones,
All of them lies.
Driftin' with my lady
We're oldest of friends
Need a little work, and there's fences to mend.
Steady girl, be my world
`Till the drifter come, now she's gone.
I let that man play his hand.
I let them go, how was I to know?
I'm down on my knees.
Nobody left to please.
Now it's over, they left in the spring
Her and the drifter, looking for beautiful things.
Steady girl, be my world
`Till the drifter come, now she's gone.
I let that man play his hand.
I let them go, how was I to know?
I'm down on my knees.
Nobody left to please.
On my knees,
feeling wrong
Mama's gone
Bye bye baby
Write if you think of it, maybe.
Know I love you. (Know I love you)
Go if it means that much to you.
Hey, but you can run, baby;
If the feeling's wrong before too long it's crazy.
And you're trapped, babe, an you know that's not where it's at, babe.
You're just seein' things through a cat's eye, baby;
That's not my old lady.
Come on and tell me, baby,
you better tell me, baby,
Who do you,
who do you love?
Time will tell us
who is trying to sell us.
Bye, bye, baby,
Write if you think of it, maybe.
Hey, but you can run, baby.
If the feeling's wrong, before too long, it's crazy.
And you're trapped babe, and you know that's not where it's at baby.
You're just seein' things through a cat's eye, baby;
That's not my old lady.
Come on and tell me, baby,
you better tell me, baby,
Who do you,
Who do you love?
All of them good ones,
All of them lies.
Driftin' with my lady
We're oldest of friends
Need a little work, and there's fences to mend.
Steady girl, be my world
`Till the drifter come, now she's gone.
I let that man play his hand.
I let them go, how was I to know?
I'm down on my knees.
Nobody left to please.
Now it's over, they left in the spring
Her and the drifter, looking for beautiful things.
Steady girl, be my world
`Till the drifter come, now she's gone.
I let that man play his hand.
I let them go, how was I to know?
I'm down on my knees.
Nobody left to please.
On my knees,
feeling wrong
Mama's gone
Bye bye baby
Write if you think of it, maybe.
Know I love you. (Know I love you)
Go if it means that much to you.
Hey, but you can run, baby;
If the feeling's wrong before too long it's crazy.
And you're trapped, babe, an you know that's not where it's at, babe.
You're just seein' things through a cat's eye, baby;
That's not my old lady.
Come on and tell me, baby,
you better tell me, baby,
Who do you,
who do you love?
Time will tell us
who is trying to sell us.
Bye, bye, baby,
Write if you think of it, maybe.
Hey, but you can run, baby.
If the feeling's wrong, before too long, it's crazy.
And you're trapped babe, and you know that's not where it's at baby.
You're just seein' things through a cat's eye, baby;
That's not my old lady.
Come on and tell me, baby,
you better tell me, baby,
Who do you,
Who do you love?
Lyrics submitted by hari66
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AWESOME song!! Maybe my favorite. The meaning seems very straightforward, his girl left in spring with some other guy Because he still loves her, he just want her to be happy so if she is certain that this is the right chose, going with the drifter, he will be happy for her. But he is not so sure that she made the right choice You better tell me, baby, who do you love?